National Awards

Liz Hollingworth
Professor, Educational Leadership

• National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame 2025 Faculty Athletics Representative Honoree

NFF honors Hollingworth, et al. for academic mentoring

Michael Kolen
Professor Emeritus, Educational Measurement

• American Educational Research Association’s 2026 E.F. Lindquist Award 

Professor Emeritus Michael Kolen named 2026 E.F. Lindquist Award recipient 

Allison Levine
Associate Professor, Rehabilitation Counseling

Levine bestowed with ARCA Research Award 

Jodi Linley
Professor, Higher Education and Student Affairs

State Awards 

Kathryn “Katie” Abrams
Transition Coordinator, UI REACH

• J. Frank Vance Distinguished Leadership Award, Iowa Council of Administrators of Special Education

Ariel Aloe
Associate Dean for Research
Professor, Educational Measurement and Statistics

• Inductee into the Iowa Academy of Education

University of Iowa Awards 

Liz Corson 
Clinical Assistant Professor, Elementary Education 

• UI Center for Teaching’s Scholarly Teaching Program recipient 

Isak Kim
Assistant Professor, Clinical Mental Health Counseling

• UI International Programs’ Global Research Partnership Award

Isak Kim receives Global Research Partnership Award to develop mental health app for students

Julie Koch
Professor, Counseling Psychology

• Student Supervisor of the Year Certification of Distinction Award
• Pomerantz Career Center Career Impact Award

Ted Neal
Clinical Professor, Science Education

• UI Council of Teaching’s 2026 President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence

Neal bestowed with UI's highest teaching honor

College Awards

Kari Blomberg
Administrative Services Coordinator, Counselor Education

• Bettina “Tina” Hass Staff Excellence in Commitment and Dedication Award

Lisa Bunn
Administrative Services Specialist, Baker Teacher Leader Center

• Staff Council Early Impact Award

Blomberg, Mosier Bunn honored with 2026 staff awards 

Megan Foley Nicpon
Myron and Jacqueline Blank Endowed Chair, Director, Belin-Blank Center
Professor, Counseling Psychology

• Collegiate Teaching Award

Seth King
Professor, Special Education

• Collegiate Teaching Award

Foley Nicpon, King receive Collegiate Teaching Awards for excellence in education 

Student Awards

Cecilia Botwe 
Doctoral Candidate, Higher Education and Student Affairs 

• Graduate Engagement Corps Grant Winner 

Nick Bushkovsky
Doctoral Student, Higher Education and Student Affairs 

• Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Council on Teaching

Olga Colmenero Carrillo
Elementary Education

• Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award, Canary Islands, Spain

Josie Mbaye
Environmental Science and Master of Arts in Teaching

• Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award, Taiwan

Gianna Rocca 
English and Creative Writing and Education

• Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award, South Korea

College of Education alumni receive prestigious Fulbright awards

Josh D’Amico 
Higher Education and Student Affairs 

• Al Hood Promising Scholar Award 

Elias Ejeh 
Doctoral Candidate, Higher Education and Student Affairs 

• Graduate Engagement Corps Grant Winner 

Syed Usman Hashmi 
Doctoral Candidate, Literacy, Culture, and Language Education

• Department of Teaching and Learning Student Research Award Winner

I-Chun “Vera” Hsiao
Literacy, Culture and Language Education

• Department of Teaching and Learning Student Research Award Winner

May Kannika Ross
Doctoral Student, Special Education

• Department of Teaching and Learning Student Research Award Winner

Godwin Paintsil
Doctoral Student, Music Education

• Department of Teaching and Learning Student Research Award Winner (runner-up)

Li Zhu
Doctoral Candidate, Math Education

• Department of Teaching and Learning Student Research Award Winner (runner-up)

Department of Teaching and Learning graduate students awarded for outstanding research

Kayla Kemp
Doctoral Student, Counselor Education and Supervision

• 2025 Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Student Research Grant

ACES grant helps Kemp pursue research on counselor education, leadership, advocacy 

Colleen Kollasch
Language, Literacy, and Social Studies Education

• College and University Faculty Assembly National Technology Leadership Initiative Fellowship Award, National Council of the Social Studies College and University Faculty Assembly Annual Conference 

doctoral candidate earns national technology leadership fellowship for LGBTQ+ history curriculum study

• Department of Teaching and Learning Student Research Award winner (runner-up)

Zhuolun Li
Higher Education and Student Affairs 

• Cultural Bridge-Building Award, University of Iowa International Programs 

Holly Matteson
Doctoral Student, Language, Literacy, and Social Studies Education

• Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Council on Teaching